The three jailed members of the Pussy Riot punk group have found a sympathetic ear from an unlikely person: Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

Speaking at a regional meeting of members from the ruling United Russia party on Wednesday, Mr. Medvedev said he thought the women’s two-year sentences were too harsh and he doesn’t see any point in keeping them behind bars.

“The term is very strong. I would even say a terrible burden,” he said in televised comments. “I don’t want to replace the judge … but the time they have already served is, in essence, more than enough to make them think about what happened, whether it was from their own stupidity or for other reasons.”